Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke. (Pacific Region).

The Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke recently announced the appointment of new state directors to fill positions left vacant by retirements and resignations over the past few months. Ron Wenker, who began his career in the BLM in 1971 as a range technician and most recently served as district manager in BLM's Oregon office, will assume the position of state director in Colorado. A former BLM manager, K. Lynn Bennett, will be returning to the agency to serve as state director in Idaho. Bennett's career with the bureau from 1972 to 1998 included assignments as associate state director in Nevada, Shoshone district manager in Idaho and branch chief of range management in BLM's Washington office. Martin Ott, superintendent of the Zion National Park in Utah, has been named BLM state director for Montana. Ott's previous career included the positions of Utah State coordinator for the Park Service, deputy director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources and Superintendent of Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. "Our public lands contribute in many different ways to the quality of life we enjoy in this country," Clarke said. "They provide for recreation and outdoor adventure. They contribute to vitality and economic strength of local communities and to our economy through traditional activities such as ranching, timber production and oil and gas production. And they offer important environmental values that must be preserved, including clean air, clean water and healthy habitat for plant and animal life."